Queer Holiday Market Returns

The Queer Holiday Market returns Dec. 18 and 19 at Summit Brewing Co. to promote queer-owned businesses and fundraise.

The market, a two-night fundraising event for The Aliveness Project, a nonprofit focused on HIV prevention and support services, is entering its third year with a whole new line-up of vendors. John Thompson, creator of the market, says the idea for the market came from his previous store, Scout.

“We had it open for five years, little over five years, and I met a lot of really great local queer-owned businesses and local queer makers and just thought it would be a great idea to try to pull some makers together, local queer businesses, to have a queer-specific market,” Thompson says.

The market space is donated to the market by their host, Summit Brewing Co., so they don’t have to charge a booth fee to the vendors, according to Thompson. He added that vendors agree to donate a certain percentage of their profits to The Aliveness Project, and Summit will donate a portion of the proceeds from its bar sales.

“Aliveness typically does their own sort of fundraising at the event as well,” Thompson says. “Last year, they did raffle tickets, and I’m guessing this year they’ll do something similar … but the primary mode of fundraising is through the percent of sales that vendors donate.”

The market strives for a party feel, serving alcohol to of-age attendees and hosting raffles and drag shows. While alcohol will be served, Thompson says the market is for all ages. There will even be a food truck. This fits with its identity as a night market, as it runs from 5-9 p.m. each night.

“It really is about supporting and promoting the local queer-owned businesses,” Thompson says. “So, I think this is a great opportunity for people to get out and, you know, get exposure to these queer-owned businesses.”

Thompson says the Queer Holiday Market is a great spot for last-minute gifts.

“We do tend to focus really on that last-minute gift giving,” Thompson says. “So, a lot of stocking stuffers and little things to pick up to kind of round out their holiday gifting.”

The market brings in new and different vendors each year. Thompson says most vendors this year weren’t in either of the previous markets.

“We try to keep the product types to one, sometimes two vendors who sell sort of the same thing,” Thompson says. “So, it’s a very, very wide mix. I think this year we have some baked goods, some ceramics, some jewelry. We have a couple of florists who’re gonna be there selling wreaths and house plants.”

Aside from product diversity, Thompson says a focus of the market is BIPOC representation. He says the market is committed to filling 50% of its space with BIPOC-owned businesses.

“Our community needs to sometimes be better by supporting our BIPOC community members,” Thompson says.

According to Thompson, the most important aspect of the market is the network it creates for queer business owners and the community it fosters.

Information on the Queer Holiday Market can be found on its Instagram and Facebook.

Queer Holiday Market 2024
Dec. 18-19, 5-9 p.m.
Summit Brewing Company
910 Montreal Circle
St. Paul, MN 55102